The Native American Experience

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The Native American Experience Page 50

by Dee Brown


  Old-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, 98, 124, 128-29, 138, 142, 144, 187, 278

  Ollokot, 320, 322, 327-28

  Omahas, 355, 357-58

  One-Eye, 76-78; portrait, 81; killed, 91

  One-Who-Speaks-Once, 418

  Osages, 353

  Otis, Elwell, 304

  Otoes, 355, 357

  Ouray, 12, 367-68; portrait, 369; 370-73, 387, 389

  Oury, William S., 202

  P

  Paha-Sapa See: Black Hills Paiutes, 12, 104, 416, 431-34

  Palo Duro Canyon, 255, 268; battle, 269-70

  Panther, 110, 112

  Papagos, 204

  Parker, Ely S., 176-79; appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 180; portrait, 181; 182-89; resigns from office, 190; 192-93, 200

  Parker, Quanah See: Quanah

  Pawnee Killer, 92, 138, 141-42, 143, 153, 163

  Pawnees, 108, 111-13, 173-74, 300, 306

  Pease, William B., 178, 180

  Pfeiffer, Albert, 27

  Piegans See: Blackfeet

  Pike’s Peak gold rush, 68

  Pine Ridge agency, 347, 349, 417, 421-22, 428-29, 434-37, 439-40, 442, 445

  Pistol Bullet See: Manuelito

  Pitkin, Frederick W., 370, 376-78, 380, 387, 388

  Platte Bridge Station fight, 98-99, 106

  Platte river, 68, 70, 82, 94, 97-98, 101, 128, 138-40, 173, 184-85, 188, 351, 356

  Plenty Bear, 188

  Pocahontas, 2

  Ponca agency, 363-64

  Poncas, 351-66

  Pontiac, 4

  Pope, John, 59, 380

  Poppleton, Andrew, 359-60

  Powder river, 70, 96-99, 104-05, 107-17, 122, 128-32, 142, 186, 188, 285-86, 308, 310

  Powhatan, 2

  Price, Shadrach, 378-80

  Price, William, 269

  Pte-San-Waste-Win, 291-96

  Q

  Quanah, 11, 260, 265-66; portrait, 267; 269-70

  Quapaws, 357

  Quinkent, 372, 378, 381-82; portrait, 383; 386, 388

  R

  Rain-in-the-Face, 296

  Ramsey, Alexander, 50, 54, 59

  Randall, George M., 214

  Raritans, 4

  Rawn, Charles, 323-24

  Rda-in-yan-ka, 55, 57, 61

  Red Cloud, 10, 97-99, 103, 105-08; portrait, 109; 110, 116-19, 123-34, 138-45, 148-49, 173, 176; visits Washington, 182-86; visits New York, 187; 188, 276-84, 299-300, 308, 310, 342-49; at Pine Ridge agency, 416-17; 420-22, 429, 439-40; portrait in old age, 450

  Red Cloud agency, 188, 277, 279, 283, 286, 298, 305

  Red Dog, 278, 282, 299, 422

  Red Horse, 291, 296

  Red Leaf, 115, 128

  Red Tomahawk, 437-38

  Reno, Marcus, 292-94, 297-98

  Republican river, 70, 92, 96, 99-100, 150, 163, 172

  Reynolds, Joseph J., 286-87

  Richard, Louis, 279

  Riddle, Frank, 229-31, 233, 236, 238, 240

  Riddle, Toby See: Winema

  Roman Nose, 10, 70, 75, 92, 98-99, 116; fight on Powder River, 117-18; 148-54; portrait, 155; 156, 158, 160, 162-65; killed, 166

  Rosebud agency, 417, 420, 428, 434

  Rosebud river, 105, 113-14, 285, 288-91

  Rough Feather, 444

  Running Antelope, 274, 423

  S

  St. Paul, Minn., 50, 54, 64, 65

  San Carlos agency, 214-16, 393-99, 401-08, 413

  Sanborn, John B., 100, 138, 142, 145-46, 157

  Sand Creek, 69, 83, 84, 86; massacre, 87-92, 94, 100, 102, 137, 148, 151, 167-68, 349

  Santa Fe, N. Mex., 14, 21-22, 30, 32

  Santee agency, 300

  Satank, 11, 249-50, 252-55

  Satanta, 11, 241-44; portrait, 245; 246-70; kills himself, 271

  Saville, J. J., 277-78

  Sayers, James A., 105-10, 113, 118

  Scalping, 25, 57, 94

  Scarfaced Charley, 221-24, 230

  Schonchin John, 221, 233-40

  Scott, Hugh, 412-13

  Schurz, Carl, 336, 338, 345, 355, 358-59, 363-64, 389

  Senecas, 178-79

  Shacknasty Jim, 221, 236

  Shakopee, 42-43, 47, 58, 62, 64

  Shangreau, John, 440

  Sheridan, Philip, 162-63, 166-72, 243-46, 265, 285, 336, 345, 364

  Sherman, William T., 34, 139-46, 157-59, 170, 228-30, 252-54, 269-70, 297, 326, 355, 364

  Shirland, Edmond, 197-98

  Short Bull, 431; portrait, 433; 434, 436

  Shoshones, 288

  Sibley, Henry H., 50-61, 122

  Sioux, 10, 38-65, 74, 76, 80, 82, 92, 94-97, 104-18, 122-46, 176-77, 217, 273-312, 327, 329, 332, 352, 367, 386, 415-45, (Blackfoot), 188, 288-94, 423, 426, 430; (Brulé), 10, 100, 122-29, 135, 138, 141-43, 177, 182-88, 288, 291, 308, 417, 420, 428-29; (Hunkpapa), 10, 104, 114-16, 123, 132, 188, 285, 287-93, 304-05, 417-20, 423-26, 430, 439; (Minneconjou), 114-16, 123, 129, 132, 135, 188, 287, 291-94, 302, 308, 431, 434, 439-42; (Oglala), 9, 104, 109, 116, 123-35, 138-39, 142, 145, 153-57, 163-64, 177, 182-88, 276-79, 282-87, 291-92, 302, 307-08, 311, 332, 416-17, 420, 429; (Sans Arcs), 288, 290, 308; (Santee), 9, 38-65, 296

  Sitting Bull, 10, 64, 114-17, 132, 188, 273, 278-79; portrait, 281; 285-88; at Little Bighorn, 291-97; 298, 300, 303-04; exile in Canada, 305, 312, 323-24, 329, 417-19; song of, 313; speeches, 415, 423-27; return to U.S., 420-23; 428-36; assassination, 437-40

  Sleeping Rabbit, 139

  Slim Buttes fight, 302-03

  Smith, Edward P., 284

  Smith, John E., 182

  Smith, John S., 79; portrait, 81; 86, 88, 100

  Smoky Hill river, 70, 72-78, 83-84, 91, 99-100, 148-49, 152, 161-62, 173

  Solomon river, 74

  Sorrel Horse, 132

  Spotted Tail, 10, 92, 122-25; portrait, 127; 128-29, 132, 138-42, 146, 177, 182; visits Washington, 183-88; 276, 279-84, 299-300, 308, 310, 343, 416-17; assassination, 420-21, 428-29

  Spotted Tail agency, 188, 279, 308, 310, 312

  Soule, Silas, 81, 86-87, 90

  Southern Pacific railroad, 406

  Squanto, 3

  Standing Bear, 351, 355-60; portrait, 361; 362-66

  Standing Elk (Brulé Sioux), 128-29, 138, 142

  Standing Elk (Cheyenne), 332-33, 340

  Standing Rock agency, 300, 417, 420, 423-30, 434-36, 439

  Stands-Looking-Back, 115

  Steamboat Frank, 221

  Steele, James, 100-101

  Steen, Enoch, 193

  Stevens, Isaac, 317

  Stone Calf, 163

  Stumbling Bear, 255-56

  Sully, Alfred, 74, 115, 138

  Summit Springs fight, 173-74, 176

  Swift Bear, 115, 124, 138, 142-43

  T

  Tainos, 2, 6

  Tall Bull, 10, 92, 148, 150, 152, 156, 161-65, 172-73; killed, 174

  Tappan, Samuel, 142

  Tatum, Lawrie, 246-249, 252-53, 260

  Tauankia, 263-64

  Taylor, E. B., 126, 128-30

  Taylor, Nathaniel, 141-43

  Taza, 217, 392, 394

  Tecumseh, 1, 4

  Teller, Henry M., 374

  Ten Bears, 11, 158; speech, 241-42; 288; visits Washington, 257; dies, 258; portrait, 259 Teninos, 238

  Terry, Alfred, 142, 279, 283, 285, 288, 290, 417-19

  Thomas, Eleazar, 228, 230-31, 236, 238

  Thompson, James B., 377-78, 381

  Thornburgh, Thomas T., 380-84; killed in fight with Utes, 386-87

  Tibbies, Thomas H., 359

  Tongue River, 110-13, 133-34, 137, 285, 287, 303, 332, 343, 348-49

  Tonkawas, 269

  Toohoolhoolzote, 320-22, 327-28

  Tosawi, 170; portrait, 171; 243, 257-58

  Touch-the-Clouds, 308, 310

  Traveling Hail, 42-43

  Treaty of 1851, 68

  Treaty of 1868, 146, 176, 185-86, 273, 276, 280, 288, 298-99, 332, 352, 428

  Tucson, Ariz., 192, 202, 204-06, 408-10

/>   Tuekakas, 317-18

  Tule Lake, 220-21, 224, 237

  Turkey Leg, 138, 141, 340

  Turning Hawk, 444

  Two Moon, 131, 140, 286-88; at Little Bighorn, 293-98; portrait, 295; 306-07, 332, 348

  U

  Union Pacific railroad, 139, 141-42, 182, 342, 359, 441

  Utes, 12, 24, 367-88

  V

  Vickers, William B., 376-77, 387

  Victorio, 11, 197, 199-200, 396-99; portrait, 400; 401

  W

  Wabasha, 9, 42, 46, 55-56, 58, 61

  Wagon Box fight, 140-41

  Wahunsonacook, 2

  Walker, Francis, 257-58

  Walker, Samuel, 105, 113-14, 116, 118

  Walking Bird, 244

  Wallowa Valley, 317-18, 320

  War Bonnet, 78, 87; killed, 91

  Warner, William, 428

  Wasumaza, 442

  Watkins, E. T., 284

  Webster, John C, 359-60

  Webster College, 75

  Weichel, Maria, 173-74

  Weium, 233

  Welsh, William, 189-90

  Wessells, Henry W., 344-46

  West, Joseph, 198

  Whipple, Henry, 298-99

  White Antelope, 69-70, 78, 80; portrait, 81; 82, 87-88; killed, 89-90, 100

  White Bear See: Satanta

  White Bird, 320, 322, 323, 327-29

  White Bull (Cheyenne), 116-17, 286

  White Bull (Minneconjou Sioux), 136-37, 296

  White Contrary, 165

  White Eagle, 351, 353, 355-58, 363

  White Horse (Kiowa), 249; portrait, 261; 271

  White Horse (Southern Cheyenne), 148, 150, 161-65

  White Lance, 442

  White Mountain reservation, 201, 214, 393-96, 399, 401-02, 406-08

  White River agency, 368, 371-388

  White Thunder, 415, 423, 430

  Whiteman, William H, 363-65

  Whitman, Royal E., 192, 201-06

  Whitside, Samuel, 440-41

  Wichitas, 246, 268

  Wild Hog, 332, 335, 340, 343, 346

  Wild West Shows, 427

  Williford, George, 107-08

  Winema, 227-38

  Wolf Belly, 165

  Wolf Chief, 71

  Woman’s Heart, 244, 271

  Wood, Charles Erskine Scott, 328

  Wooden Leg, 286-88, 291, 333, 348

  Wounded Knee Creek, 12, 313, 417, 421, 440-42; massacre, 444-46

  Wovoka, 12; speech, 416; 431-32; portrait, 433; 435

  Wowinapa, 63

  Wynkoop, Edward W., 76-79; portrait, 81; 82-86, 149-58, 162-63, 169

  Y

  Yellow Bear, 170

  Yellow Bird, 442

  Yellow Eagle, 133-34

  Yellow Hair, 422, 429

  Yellow Wolf, 316, 325-26

  Yellow Woman, 72, 92, 96, 108

  Yellowstone Park, 326

  Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, 97, 278, 283; portrait, 301

  The Fetterman Massacre

  For L. L. B.

  Contents

  I. April:

  MOON WHEN THE GEESE LAY EGGS

  II. May:

  PLANTING MOON

  III. June:

  MOON WHEN THE GREEN GRASS IS UP

  1

  2

  IV. July:

  MOON WHEN THE CHOKECHERRIES ARE RIPE

  V. August:

  MOON WHEN THE GEESE SHED THEIR FEATHERS

  VI. September:

  DRYING GRASS MOON

  VII. October:

  HARVEST MOON

  VIII. November:

  DEER RUTTING MOON

  IX. December:

  MOON WHEN THE DEER SHED THEIR HORNS

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  X. January

  MOON OF STRONG COLD

  XI. Aftermath

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Bibliography

  Notes

  Index

  I. April:

  MOON WHEN THE GEESE LAY EGGS

  My name is Henry B. Carrington: forty-three years of age, colonel Eighteenth U.S. Infantry, and now commanding post Fort McPherson, Nebraska, late commanding post Philip Kearny, Dakota Territory, and previously thereto commanding Mountain District, Department of the Platte, which command embraced the route from Fort Reno westward to Virginia City via the Big Horn and Yellowstone Rivers, and being the new route I occupied during the summer of 1866.1

  SO BEGAN, ON A spring day in 1867, Colonel Carrington’s testimony before a commission convened at Fort McPherson to investigate the Fetterman Massacre of December 21, 1866. For several days Carrington defended his past actions, offering letters, records and reports relating to his command at Fort Phil Kearny, narrating a relentless procession of events which led to the violent deaths of three officers, seventy-six enlisted men and two civilians.

  The Fetterman Massacre was the second battle in American history from which came no survivors, and was a nationally debated incident for ten years—until overshadowed by the Custer Massacre of 1876. Acting under orders from Colonel Carrington, Brevet-Colonel William Judd Fetterman led eighty men out of the gates of Fort Phil Kearny at 11:15 A.M. of that dark December day. Carrington’s orders were explicit: relieve the wood train from Indian attack, but do not pursue the enemy beyond Lodge Trail Ridge.

  At 11:45 A.M. Fetterman’s command of forty-nine infantrymen and twenty-seven cavalrymen halted on the crest of Lodge Trail Ridge, with skirmishers out. The sky was bitter gray, thickening for snow, temperature dropping rapidly. A few minutes later Fetterman’s rear guard disappeared from view of the fort, passing over the ridge, moving north. At 12 noon, almost as the bugler was sounding dinner call in the fort, sentinels at the gate heard firing from beyond Lodge Trail Ridge. Colonel Carrington was notified immediately. By the time the colonel had mounted the lookout tower above his headquarters, firing was continuous and rapid. Without further delay, Carrington ordered Captain Tenodor Ten Eyck to move out to Fetterman’s relief. At 12:45 P.M., Ten Eyck and seventy-six men reached the summit of a ridge overlooking Peno Creek. The valley was swarming with Indians, at least two thousand of them, probably more. One or two scattered shots rang out from the hill beyond; then there was no more firing, only the jubilant cries of Indians racing their ponies, some shouting derisively at Ten Eyck’s troops, beckoning them to come down into the valley.

  For several minutes Captain Ten Eyck could see no sign of Fetterman’s command, neither the mounted nor dismounted men. Then as the Indians began withdrawing from the valley, an enlisted man cried: “There’re the men down there, all dead!”2

  Maintaining his position on high ground until the Indian forces had vanished northward, Ten Eyck then cautiously advanced toward the battlefield. Near the Bozeman Road, dead men lay naked and mutilated, blood frozen in their wounds, in a circle about forty feet in diameter. They were mostly infantrymen. After loading the dead into his two ammunition wagons, Ten Eyck began a slow withdrawal to the fort, not reaching the gates until darkness was falling. The following morning, against the advice of his staff, Carrington led a second party out to the scene of battle and recovered the remaining bodies, mostly cavalrymen.

  The full story of what happened in that brief hour of bloody carnage at high noon under the wintry sky of December 21, 1866, will never be known. During the years which followed, various Indian participants—Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho—told conflicting accounts of the battle. Yet the mystery is not so much what happened as why it happened. Why did Fetterman disobey Carrington’s orders? Why did the cavalrymen leave the infantrymen to meet the full force of attack, and retire to high ground only to die a few minutes later as they had watched the infantrymen die? Why did the Indians retire from the field instead of attempting to annihilate Captain Ten Eyck’s seventy-six men, a move wh
ich if successful would have left the fort vulnerable to immediate capture?

  In the first place, why were Fetterman and his men there in that lonely, uncharted wilderness, 236 miles north of Fort Laramie, in a country which only one year earlier had been ceded by treaty to the tribes as inviolable Indian territory?

  The commission investigating the Fetterman Massacre examined some of these questions directly, dwelling upon the necessity for three forts along the Bozeman Trail, debating whether or not the strength of Carrington’s military force was sufficient, yet never more than hinting at reasons for opening this road through the Plains Indians’ last unspoiled hunting ground.

  The motivating factor of course was gold, which had been discovered in Montana in 1862, creating a rush to Virginia City through 1863 and 1864. During the Civil War, thousands of miners traveled to the diggings by two routes—either up the Missouri River by way of Fort Benton, or overland along the Platte Trail to Fort Hall and then doubling back into Montana Territory. These were roundabout routes, requiring weeks for passage. Public demand for a more direct route led two explorers in 1864 to mark out trails northward from Fort Laramie. Jim Bridger, aware of the Indians’ determination to keep the white man out of their sacred Powder River country, avoided that area and led his party of trail blazers west of the Big Horn Mountains. John Bozeman, seeking an even more direct route, ran his wagons east of the Big Horns, straight through the heart of the hunting grounds.

  Except for Indian resistance, Bozeman’s route was by far the easier to travel, and by 1865 several parties of brave or foolhardy gold seekers risked their lives to make the crossing of what soon became known as the Montana Road.

  In 1865, the Federal Government also became vitally interested in a direct route to the gold fields. After four years of Civil War, the United States Treasury was virtually bankrupt; gold was urgently needed to liquidate the accruing interest of the national debt. In hopes of encouraging more prospectors to make the journey to Montana, the government financed a survey for a direct route from Sioux City by way of the Niobrara River. Leader of this expedition of about one hundred men and 250 wagons was Colonel James A. Sawyer. The party included engineers and gold prospectors, and was escorted by two companies of former Confederate soldiers, who had sworn oaths of allegiance in exchange for release from military prisons.

 

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